House in Hikarimachi II by rhythmdesign

The recently completed House in Hikarimachi II, by rhythmdesign, is a two-floor home located in Kasuga, Japan. The area in which this building sits is extremely narrow, forcing the design to extend vertically without sacrificing natural light. The ground level is composed of reinforced concrete, which holds the rest of the house made of timber-clad panels.

The interior’s contrast to the exterior accentuates lighting that enters the building. Alongside the exposed ceiling, the rooms flow together in a wave of soft colors and natural woods. The bedrooms are placed on either ends of the third floor, while the second floor contains the living room and entertainment room.

There are many aspects of this home that immediately strike me. Firstly, the way natural light hits the interior is awe-inspiring. I love how the ceilings are exposed to produce a slight industrial feel to the overall modern/minimalist aesthetic. Lastly, although the rooms all form together nicely, I am fond of the moving wall partitions that allow each of the spaces to be segregated from each other.

Leo Lei is a marketing professional + design enthusiast responsible for importing some of the hardest to reach brands into the US through his website, leibal.com. His passions within design are light materials and minimalist aesthetics. Leo writes the Design Milk column Skim Milk.